𝖂.𝕯.
@icastlight.bsky.social
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𝖂.𝕯.
@icastlight.bsky.social
· Sep 23
WHY MEGADUNGEONS? A Campaign Structure for Modern Lives
Why Megadungeons? Over on the Prismatic Wasteland Discord, a member asked essentially, "Why megadungeons?" This is a good perennial questi...
icastlight.blogspot.com
"Why megadungeons?" My pitch is that they are a campaign format that concentrates ideas, maximizes novelty, uses familiarity to advantage, and can be run in 2-4 hour sessions. Plus, between Silk Song and Delicious in Dungeon- everyone knows what they are! icastlight.blogspot.com/2025/09/why-...
Been watching this develop. It’s pretty amazing.
I think it helps highlight how the old-school scene (by blogs) is ~6 different groups of people who may/may not be communicating.
Harder to see, but present, is the temporal aspect of the old-school scene growth & change
I think it helps highlight how the old-school scene (by blogs) is ~6 different groups of people who may/may not be communicating.
Harder to see, but present, is the temporal aspect of the old-school scene growth & change
Spent the last month mapping the blogosphere by its links. The graph is finally ready
Communities clump into a big hex and the whole thing looks like a star map
What are blogs anyway but stars in the sky?
elmc.at/mapping-the-...
To check out the graph directly follow this link:
graph.elmc.at
Communities clump into a big hex and the whole thing looks like a star map
What are blogs anyway but stars in the sky?
elmc.at/mapping-the-...
To check out the graph directly follow this link:
graph.elmc.at
Mapping the Blogosphere
An interactive graph of TTRPG blogs, showing who links to whom, how communities change over time, plus stats and how it all works.
elmc.at
November 26, 2025 at 8:02 PM
Been watching this develop. It’s pretty amazing.
I think it helps highlight how the old-school scene (by blogs) is ~6 different groups of people who may/may not be communicating.
Harder to see, but present, is the temporal aspect of the old-school scene growth & change
I think it helps highlight how the old-school scene (by blogs) is ~6 different groups of people who may/may not be communicating.
Harder to see, but present, is the temporal aspect of the old-school scene growth & change
Great mag! This issue I think is one of the best and a great entry into the wonderful job they do—- I was inspired!
November 26, 2025 at 4:32 PM
Great mag! This issue I think is one of the best and a great entry into the wonderful job they do—- I was inspired!
So how did law and order work in Medieval England? And can we bring that into D&D? I decided to take a look and found the first thing is that almost no one would tolerate 75% PC foolishness: icastlight.blogspot.com/2025/11/law-...
LAW, ORDER, DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: Gameable Suggestions from English Medieval Law
Its not *always* trial by combat... How law and order work in medieval societies can be used to enhance our pseudo-medieval fantasy games ...
icastlight.blogspot.com
November 25, 2025 at 2:10 PM
So how did law and order work in Medieval England? And can we bring that into D&D? I decided to take a look and found the first thing is that almost no one would tolerate 75% PC foolishness: icastlight.blogspot.com/2025/11/law-...
Test paint to see if my color mixing and matching fit with the inspiration
November 24, 2025 at 10:59 PM
Test paint to see if my color mixing and matching fit with the inspiration
How did we do in hell, you ask? Let me tell you in my recap of our 135th delve into the maw of @inplacesdeep.bsky.social 𝕹𝖎𝖌𝖍𝖙𝖜𝖎𝖈𝖐 𝕬𝖇𝖇𝖊𝖞: icastlight.blogspot.com/2025/11/nigh...
NIGHTWICK ABBEY: The Purple Eater of People, Session 135
Want to learn more about the world of Nightwick from Miranda? You can follow her blog here and the ongoing development of Nightwick Abbey...
icastlight.blogspot.com
November 23, 2025 at 6:32 PM
How did we do in hell, you ask? Let me tell you in my recap of our 135th delve into the maw of @inplacesdeep.bsky.social 𝕹𝖎𝖌𝖍𝖙𝖜𝖎𝖈𝖐 𝕬𝖇𝖇𝖊𝖞: icastlight.blogspot.com/2025/11/nigh...
Reposted by 𝖂.𝕯.
In case you missed it, I just launched a pre-order campaign for my upcoming 100+ room, 5 level dungeon The Castle Automatic.
Instead of doing a "traditional" Kickstarter, I opted for a pre-order campaign through Exalted Funeral instead. We're calling it the Early Worm campaign.
Why?
Instead of doing a "traditional" Kickstarter, I opted for a pre-order campaign through Exalted Funeral instead. We're calling it the Early Worm campaign.
Why?
Why the Castle Automatic is doing a preorder campaign instead of a Kickstarter
In case you missed it, I just launched a pre-order campaign for my upcoming 100+ room, 5 level dungeon The Castle Automatic . Click to bec...
riseupcomus.blogspot.com
November 23, 2025 at 1:25 PM
In case you missed it, I just launched a pre-order campaign for my upcoming 100+ room, 5 level dungeon The Castle Automatic.
Instead of doing a "traditional" Kickstarter, I opted for a pre-order campaign through Exalted Funeral instead. We're calling it the Early Worm campaign.
Why?
Instead of doing a "traditional" Kickstarter, I opted for a pre-order campaign through Exalted Funeral instead. We're calling it the Early Worm campaign.
Why?
Okay, now THIS is a great way to play Mausritter- raid your own junk draw
It's super fun to use that Inventory System. One thing we had a blast with was just raiding the "Junk Drawer" for miscellaneous things to make up the Gear:
November 22, 2025 at 9:33 PM
Okay, now THIS is a great way to play Mausritter- raid your own junk draw
(Pressing my head aginst the lasgun aimed at me for treason) Here's why I didn't fire the missiles-- THE SWITCH IS STUCK DUE TO 100 YEARS OF CANDLE WAX HARDENED ON THE CONTROL PANEL! Why do we light this ship with 100% candelabras?! Do you hear the machine spirits?! They cry for TRACK LIGHTING!!
"This isn't an official Warhammer 40k RPG, but it's very well put together - I haven't played Chapter Serf yet, but oh boy do I want to."
There's that pull quote!
CHAPTER SERF got some press from Wargamer holy shit. Thanks @tjohnlinward.bsky.social !
www.wargamer.com/chapter-serf...
There's that pull quote!
CHAPTER SERF got some press from Wargamer holy shit. Thanks @tjohnlinward.bsky.social !
www.wargamer.com/chapter-serf...
Play as the wretched background weirdos from Warhammer 40k artwork in this free indie RPG
In 'Chapter Serf' you get a worm's eye view of Warhammer 40,000, playing as a lowly peon with dangerous duties aboard a Space Marine voidship.
www.wargamer.com
November 22, 2025 at 4:13 PM
(Pressing my head aginst the lasgun aimed at me for treason) Here's why I didn't fire the missiles-- THE SWITCH IS STUCK DUE TO 100 YEARS OF CANDLE WAX HARDENED ON THE CONTROL PANEL! Why do we light this ship with 100% candelabras?! Do you hear the machine spirits?! They cry for TRACK LIGHTING!!
If you’re at PAX U, and you’ve used the Designing Dungeons course document, find this guy and tell him about it!
I am at the Exalted Funeral booth! I have these flyers as part of the announcement for the Early Worm campaign for Castle Automatic, my Metroidvania dungeon for HIS MAJESTY THE WORM. Come get one!
November 21, 2025 at 11:08 PM
If you’re at PAX U, and you’ve used the Designing Dungeons course document, find this guy and tell him about it!
Tonight we delve the single maw of a many-gulleted hell...it is time for Weeknights in 𝕹𝖎𝖌𝖍𝖙𝖜𝖎𝖈𝖐!
Session 135, serious numbers y'all!
Session 135, serious numbers y'all!
November 21, 2025 at 3:41 AM
Tonight we delve the single maw of a many-gulleted hell...it is time for Weeknights in 𝕹𝖎𝖌𝖍𝖙𝖜𝖎𝖈𝖐!
Session 135, serious numbers y'all!
Session 135, serious numbers y'all!
Went & pre-ordered MAGIC ATHLETE for Christmas presents. Comes highly recommended by @sanildefanso.bsky.social & other boardgame tastemakers
Did realize Richard Garfield was involved in this edition: www.cmyk.games/products/mag...
Did realize Richard Garfield was involved in this edition: www.cmyk.games/products/mag...
Magical Athlete - PRE-ORDER
PRE-ORDER – SHIPPING LATE DECEMBER 2025 (NOT GUARANTEED BY HOLIDAY BUT WILL TRY)Magical Athlete is a chaotic racing game where anything can happen. Recruit a team of absurd racers—Centaur, Egg, Rocket...
www.cmyk.games
November 20, 2025 at 12:26 AM
Went & pre-ordered MAGIC ATHLETE for Christmas presents. Comes highly recommended by @sanildefanso.bsky.social & other boardgame tastemakers
Did realize Richard Garfield was involved in this edition: www.cmyk.games/products/mag...
Did realize Richard Garfield was involved in this edition: www.cmyk.games/products/mag...
I agree that the most exciting thing about 40K Lore is exploring the cracks and crevices of that lore.
Zedeck does a great job here of shining a light on the many, many small hands that drag forward the sweating, blood-drenched war-body of the Imperium.
Zedeck does a great job here of shining a light on the many, many small hands that drag forward the sweating, blood-drenched war-body of the Imperium.
🙏CHAPTER SERF🙏
I finished it! A Warhammer 40K adventure & TTRPG where you *don't* play Space Marines. Instead you play those little hooded freaks loitering in the background while Space Marines hog the limelight.
PDF here: drive.google.com/file/d/1V4Mt...
1/
I finished it! A Warhammer 40K adventure & TTRPG where you *don't* play Space Marines. Instead you play those little hooded freaks loitering in the background while Space Marines hog the limelight.
PDF here: drive.google.com/file/d/1V4Mt...
1/
November 18, 2025 at 6:40 PM
I agree that the most exciting thing about 40K Lore is exploring the cracks and crevices of that lore.
Zedeck does a great job here of shining a light on the many, many small hands that drag forward the sweating, blood-drenched war-body of the Imperium.
Zedeck does a great job here of shining a light on the many, many small hands that drag forward the sweating, blood-drenched war-body of the Imperium.
Absolutely amazing stuff. It’s really interesting to see the clusters of activity in the “old-school” and adjacent space. And you can see the 5 large groups forming over time/connections
November 18, 2025 at 2:01 PM
Absolutely amazing stuff. It’s really interesting to see the clusters of activity in the “old-school” and adjacent space. And you can see the 5 large groups forming over time/connections
If you ever thought, "Damn I love Fallout", then here is one woman you can thank for that legacy.
My trailblazing game industry bad-ass friend Rebecca Heineman has passed away.
Fuck cancer.
Friends, let’s not forget her: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rebecca...
Fuck cancer.
Friends, let’s not forget her: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rebecca...
Rebecca Heineman - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
November 18, 2025 at 4:41 AM
If you ever thought, "Damn I love Fallout", then here is one woman you can thank for that legacy.
Reposted by 𝖂.𝕯.
Rebecca Heineman's last message was for people to look up her departed partner, Jennell Jaquays.
Jaquays was so influent to tabletop RPGs that "Jaquaysing" became a verb for designing complex, non-linear dungeons.
@nickoten.bsky.social wrote a great article on her:
pathikablog.com/2025/04/26/h...
Jaquays was so influent to tabletop RPGs that "Jaquaysing" became a verb for designing complex, non-linear dungeons.
@nickoten.bsky.social wrote a great article on her:
pathikablog.com/2025/04/26/h...
How Jennell Jaquays Evolved Dungeon Design, Part 1: Pre-Jaquays Dungeons
(This is a slightly cleaned up version of my two Bluesky threads on Jennell Jaquays, preserved in a hopefully easier to read format. Thank Amanda P for reminding me that having these things stored …
pathikablog.com
November 18, 2025 at 12:19 AM
Rebecca Heineman's last message was for people to look up her departed partner, Jennell Jaquays.
Jaquays was so influent to tabletop RPGs that "Jaquaysing" became a verb for designing complex, non-linear dungeons.
@nickoten.bsky.social wrote a great article on her:
pathikablog.com/2025/04/26/h...
Jaquays was so influent to tabletop RPGs that "Jaquaysing" became a verb for designing complex, non-linear dungeons.
@nickoten.bsky.social wrote a great article on her:
pathikablog.com/2025/04/26/h...
Seriously, we really do lack imagination when it comes to magic items in D&D. Your Dolmenwood fairies have these... they unlock chests...
Part 65 of 200 in historically interesting things to inspire your ttrpg
17th-century Pistols disguised as Keys. Meant for Jailers for self defense or sounding the alarm they would dangle on the same ring as the jails keys.
17th-century Pistols disguised as Keys. Meant for Jailers for self defense or sounding the alarm they would dangle on the same ring as the jails keys.
November 15, 2025 at 7:55 PM
Seriously, we really do lack imagination when it comes to magic items in D&D. Your Dolmenwood fairies have these... they unlock chests...
Over at ALL DEAD GENERATIONS, Gus (@ratkingrpg.bsky.social) writes about how common obstacles vs. say puzzle rooms are a key part of dungeon design. This is reinforced by how many 1st & 2nd-level MU spells are about getting around these common blocks: alldeadgenerations.blogspot.com/2025/11/dung...
Dungeon Design Note: Obstacles Support Exploration
Less Combat ... More Obstacles I’ve been talking about dungeon crawling as a play style here for years, and I’m not alone among RPG blogger...
alldeadgenerations.blogspot.com
November 15, 2025 at 6:50 PM
Over at ALL DEAD GENERATIONS, Gus (@ratkingrpg.bsky.social) writes about how common obstacles vs. say puzzle rooms are a key part of dungeon design. This is reinforced by how many 1st & 2nd-level MU spells are about getting around these common blocks: alldeadgenerations.blogspot.com/2025/11/dung...
Guess I better start blastin'...
Game: Pluto
Game: Pluto
November 15, 2025 at 4:25 AM
Guess I better start blastin'...
Game: Pluto
Game: Pluto
The @mothership.bsky.social Warden's Manual is so good. Seriously, the "Richard Scarry" picture helps interpret the single line rulings below in the table.
November 14, 2025 at 6:49 PM
The @mothership.bsky.social Warden's Manual is so good. Seriously, the "Richard Scarry" picture helps interpret the single line rulings below in the table.
Really like treasure tables now labeled with in-world descriptions/categories rather than letters or numbers— way easier to conceptualize what is appropriate
I think this spread will be a big improvement for GMs of VoV 2e, although it does look like a bunch of tax returns. You can now seed treasure caches through a sandbox map, possibly with accompanying maps that guide to some of them
November 14, 2025 at 3:50 PM
Really like treasure tables now labeled with in-world descriptions/categories rather than letters or numbers— way easier to conceptualize what is appropriate
Skerples exercise here, I think highlights what people find attractive about OD&D: A giant prompt for building your own D&D. All the boring "maths" are already done, you just supply the flavor
What can you infer about OD&D if you ignore its actual influences?
coinsandscrolls.blogspot.com/2025/11/osr-...
coinsandscrolls.blogspot.com/2025/11/osr-...
OSR: Beyond the Western Desert (or OD&D with Appendix N-1)
The conceit of my current OD&D game is "OD&D without context". What weird mutant offshoot of the tree of RPG development will we create if...
coinsandscrolls.blogspot.com
November 13, 2025 at 5:50 PM
Skerples exercise here, I think highlights what people find attractive about OD&D: A giant prompt for building your own D&D. All the boring "maths" are already done, you just supply the flavor
Given common complaints against starting MUs, I wondered what the starting spells were for early D&D pre-gens so I took a look at the B-series: icastlight.blogspot.com/2025/11/basi...
BASIC MAGIC: What Was Top Choice Among Starting Spells for Early Module MUs?
from Wizard of Barge Due to playing a long-running, well, 6th level anyway, BX magic-user , I've had a lot of thoughts over the years abo...
icastlight.blogspot.com
November 13, 2025 at 3:26 PM
Given common complaints against starting MUs, I wondered what the starting spells were for early D&D pre-gens so I took a look at the B-series: icastlight.blogspot.com/2025/11/basi...
No one blogs anymore 😞
What are they even good for…
What are they even good for…
Feeling behind on the latest OSR blogs? Simply read them all at once!
November 12, 2025 at 1:58 AM
No one blogs anymore 😞
What are they even good for…
What are they even good for…
Reposted by 𝖂.𝕯.
